Friday – Sunday

KNTR Build-a-Book Project for Kids
11 AM, 1 PM and 3 PM, Kids Need to Read Pavilion
Author/illustrator Steven Riley will lead daily creative sessions for children of all ages in the Kids Need to Read pavilion. Children will build a book page by page throughout the convention and can watch the book progress on the pavilion’s Reading Wall. After signing a reading pledge, all “Build-a-Book” participants will receive a Kids Need to Read goodie backpack sponsored by Bookmans and filled with a new, hardcover book, magazines, & other goodies.

Star Wars Photo Booth benefiting KNTR
12 Noon – 3 PM, Star Wars Neighborhood, Exhibitor Hall
Have your photo taken with Star Wars costumed characters for a small donation to KNTR.

Friday

Geeks Giving Back Panel sponsored by Arizona Browncoats
3 PM – 4 PM, Room 129A
Join representatives from several fan groups, including Kids Need to Read Executive Director Denise Gary, Arizona Browncoats, Austin Browncoats, Arizona Ghostbusters, and The Dune Sea Garrison 501^st Legion to learn how they give back to the community and how you can be involved.

Texas Hold ‘Em Charity Poker Tournament benefiting KNTR
8 PM – 12 PM, Hyatt Ellis
No Limit Hold ‘Em Celebrity Charity Tournament for Kids Need to Read. $10 Donation. Unlimited chip replenish during first hour for additional donation. Optional add on after first hour. Cash only. Play with BigChrisArt, Zenescope, & Big Dog Ink!

Saturday & Sunday

Justice League Arizona “Arkham Escape” interactive game benefiting KNTR
2 PM – 3 PM, Justice League Arizona/Arizona Avengers booth
“Escaped Arkham Asylum inmates” (identified by special badges) will be hunted down by Gotham City heroes and villains, escorted back to the Arkham Cell, and have their mug shots taken with their captors. Play yourself or rat out your friends for a $5 donation.

Saturday

Charity Art Auction benefiting KNTR
6 PM – 8 PM, Room 127A
The Phoenix Comicon Charity Art Auction features unique one-of-a-kind creations by many guest artists. Pieces will include single artist and multi-artist jam pieces.

Kids Need to Read Geek Prom sponsored by Bookmans & benefiting KNTR
8 PM – Midnight, Hyatt Regency Ballroom
Don’t miss the third annual Kids Need to Read Geek Prom, sponsored by Bookmans Entertainment Exchange and made possible by Phoenix Comicon. This event is our largest annual fundraiser and sold out the past two years. Expect Geektastic music and dancing, tons of prizes, special guests, a live Geek auction, space-themed decorations and photo sets, a Geek-o-tron, Fashion Geektacular, and crowning of the 2012 KNTR Geek Monarchs. To learn more about this event, including ticketing information, see our Kids Need to Read Geek Prom webpage.

Sunday

Anarchy Squared Creations Raffle benefiting KNTR
3:30 PM, Booth 320
Darth Vader Build-a-Bear

Fine Art Prints:

Little Red Reading Hood © Jackie Morris

Power © Tony Parker

Monsters Love Books Too © Steven Riley

As always, we will have some super-uper-Big Dipper auctions at Geek Prom. This year we also have a very special celebrity auctioneer! That’s right folks. Our good friend, actor Louis Lombardi (24, THE SOPRANOS), will be at the helm of our auction. Funny part is . . . Lou is going to be auctioning HIMSELF off!

Here is a list of our auctions for this year:

• A Star Wars Animated Luke Skywalker Limited Edition Maquette (Donated by Pop Culture Paradise)
• A Star Theater Pro Planetarium (Donated by ThinkGeek)
• A Wampa Rug (Donated by ThinkGeek)
• A Star Trek: The Next Generation Print entitled “Where No Man Has Gone Before” signed by Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn, and Wil Wheaton (private donation, signatures provided by Phoenix Comicon)
• Arizona Avengers Superhero Lunches: Our friends, the Arizona Avengers, will be auctioning THEMSELVES off! The lucky winners of these auctions will get to have lunch on Sunday with their favorite superheroes! More details to be announced.

Hmmmm….I thought there was something else…OH RIGHT! The Mojo-Bone Software Studios Super Galactic Auction Package!! Take a look at this!!

Mojo-Bone Software Studios Super Galactic Auction Package

Autographed items from:

• Tim Russ (Tuvok in Star Trek: Voyager)
• Walter Koenig (Chekov in the original Star Trek series and movies)
• Jay Karnes (Detective Holland “Dutch” Wagenbach in The Shield and ChrisBolling in V)
• Chase Masterson (Leeta / Emony Dax in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
• Herbert Jefferson Jr. (Lt. Boomer in Battlestar Galactica)
• Louis Lombardi (Edgar Stiles in 24 and Skip Lipari in The Sopranos )
• Patricia Skeriotis (Jana Akton in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Video Game)

Breakfast Sunday morning of Phoenix Comicon 2012 with Louis Lombardi, Patricia Skeriotis,   Adam Goldman (CEO of Mojo-Bone Software Studios), and Isabelle Mangouni (COO of Mojo-Bone Software Studios).  Breakfast will be at the Terrace Cafe in the Hyatt Regency, downtown Phoenix. (Time to be determined.)

Voice over role in an upcoming Mojo-Bone Software Studios, AAA video game (PC, X-Box, and Playstation platforms). Winner will receive:

• Two nights’ accommodations in Los Angeles (all ground transportation in Los  Angeles included)
• Attend table read and dinner with cast
• Spend a day at the recording studio while you and some of the cast record your voice over role
• Receive pictures with, and autographs from,  the cast of the game (those who are present at the table read/dinner or the studio recording session)

Cast includes:

• Michael Chiklis (Detective Vic Mackey in The Shield and The Thing / Ben Grimm in Fantastic Four and Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer)
• Armin Shimerman (Quark in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
• Jay Karns (Detective Holland “Dutch” Wagenbach in The  Shield and Chris Bolling in V)
• David Rees Snell (Detective Ronnie Gardocki in The Shield and Leon Drake in The Unit)
• Bob Golouberman (Director #3 in the Oscar award winning film The Artist)
• David Marciano (Detective Steve Billings in The Shield and Virgil in Homeland)
• Chase Masterson (Leeta / Emony Dax in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
• More Cast to be announced

NOTE: Winner is responsible for their transportation to Los Angeles. The voice over recording will occur in 2013.

We were not kidding when we said super-uper-Big Dipper! A huge thank you to everyone who donated items for our auctions!

If you are going to be at this year’s Phoenix Comicon, we hope you will come join us at the KNTR Geek Prom Saturday night. It is going to be a night to remember!

The Kids Need to Read 2013 wall calendar is presented by
Life Alert Emergency Response, Inc.

As we get ready to introduce the Kids Need to Read 2013 wall calendar at Phoenix Comicon, we proudly present the cover art for all to enjoy. Every piece of art we received from each of our twelve calendar artists was thought provoking and beautiful. Each artist was instructed to incorporate a book or books into their illustration to highlight our mission. What we received was unbelievably imaginative art.

Monsters Love Books Too © Steven Riley

Monsters Love Books Too by artist, author, and KNTR Advisory Council member Steven Riley was chosen to represent the varied artistry displayed within the Kids Need to Read calendar. Steven’s whimsical creation was deemed irresistible and selected for how well it illustrated the Kids Need to Read tagline, “Inspiring Imagination.” Bold and colorful, the art piece depicts the joy reading can bring to young minds, as well as the importance of surrounding children with a literature-rich home environment. And really, how can anyone resist a big toe sticking out of a sock?

The remaining eleven calendar illustrations, as well as a listing of our contributing artists and sponsors, can be seen on our 2013 calendar web page. The pieces are all unique, yet equally inspiring.

In addition to the calendar, Kids Need to Read is producing fine art prints from the artists’ contributions.  Currently, the KNTR 2013 calendars, Steven Riley’s cover art print, Tony Parker’s 2012 art print, and Jackie Morris’ 2012 and 2013 art prints are currently available for purchase in our eBay store. Calendars and fine art prints will also be available at KNTR’s Phoenix Comicon booth, May 24-27, 2012. Steven Riley will be conducting the Kids Need to Read “Build-a-Book” project in the KNTR booth, so he will be available to sign calendars and his cover art print throughout the convention. All proceeds benefit Kids Need to Read.

We thank all of our “Kids Need to Read artists” for their dedication to the cause of childhood literacy, and for honoring our foundation with their valuable time and talent. We are also immensely grateful to our calendar sponsors, whose generosity ensures that all funds generated by the calendar sales will be used to further our mission.

Presenting Sponsor

Life Alert Emergency Response, Inc.

Sponsors

All Printing Services, Inc.
US Toner, Inc.
Wonder of Wickless

Let me be frank, we truly love our new office building – a 1940’s abode converted into a comfy headquarters where charitable deeds are envisioned, planned, and put into action. However, the dreary gravel beds at the front entrance were not engendering the slightest bit of affection.

We are a living, breathing organization! Could we please have some life in these flower beds? Anybody? Why yes, of course – so said the volunteers of Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center’s (SARRC) GoodDeedWorks team! And so agreed Harper’s Nursery & Landscape Company in Mesa, Arizona.

This is the third time Kids Need to Read has hosted the GoodDeedWorks volunteers. In the past, they have organized books and assembled shelves for us. They are a wonderful resource for local businesses! For this project, we needed additional help in the form of plants, dirt, and mulch. I went begging to the folks at Harper’s Nursery, who have been patiently teaching this Texan how to garden in the Arizona desert, and they helped us out with our supplies.

I welcomed the volunteer team and described the gardening project, as well as the book we were giving each of them at the end of the day, Seedfolks, by Paul Fleischman.

Debb explained the second project, which was to categorize KNTR’s stash of comic books for our upcoming inventory.

Then the team got to work!

Gravel was removed.

Soil was poured.

The garden was raked.

I even got to swing a pickax!

Then it was time to plant!

Inside, the inventory project was underway.

SARRC program leader Erica added some finishing touches outside.

Debb and I tackled the last pot.

The sidewalk was cleaned and the job was complete.

We thank Erica, Brad, and the entire SARRC GoodDeedWorks team for making the outside of our office reflect the joy that resides inside!

Special thanks to my buddies Jay and Mark at Harper’s Nursery! We appreciate your service to the community.

Photo Gallery: SARRC GoodDeedWorks Volunteer Day

It has been popping up everywhere around the internet. Well-known authors are tweeting about it. Publishing executives are blogging about it. And everyone in between has been retweeting, commenting on blogs and sharing posts across social media because the idea is actually that cool.

The event I am talking about is World Book Night and it is happening in just a few days. What is World Book Night, you ask? It’s a social cause to promote reading and literacy that started in the UK and has been brought over to the US. On April 23rd, thousands of people will go out into their communities to distribute specially chosen paperback books to adults who may not have easy access to affordable books, library services, or just because they express interest.

The thirty titles that have been selected for 2012 are from a slew of different publishing houses and include The Kite Runner, The History of Love, Poisonwood Bible, The Things They Carried, and I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. These titles are specifically geared towards adult readers, though there are a handful of books that can be classified as Young Adult, such as The Hunger Games and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

The organization has been asked why they are not giving books to children, and the answer actually coincides with where I must assume the question originates, too. Most literacy-focused nonprofits give books to children. It is important to encourage a love of reading from a young age, as we at Kids Need to Read all know. But that does not mean we should ignore other audiences that might need similar encouragement.

The books that givers pick up for distribution were specially printed and are not for resale. Authors have forgone royalties for these copies and the list of sponsors include American book publishers, the American Booksellers Association, Barnes & Noble, the American Library Association, the Association of American Publishers, Ingram Book Company, UPS, and a dozen printers and binders.

It is too late to sign up to be a giver this year. But keep an eye out on April 23rd in your community. The organization’s goal is to spread these books from town squares to nursing homes to food pantries. They hope this will transcend socioeconomic, cultural and geographic lines to reach every corner of the country.

It is so important that we do not stop encouraging reading as our kids grow up. I cannot wait to get more involved with the group next year. Make sure you spread the word!

You can find out more about World Book Night on their website.

The Edwin P. Hubble Medal of Initiative will be presented to PJ Haarsma, Denise Gary, and Nathan Fillion for their work in founding Kids Need to Read to provide literacy resources to disadvantaged children and adolescents throughout the United States. The award is Marshfield, Missouri’s highest honor and is presented annually to those who have shown great initiative in their lifetime. The three KNTR founders will be honored during the Edwin P. Hubble Medal of Initiative Dinner, which takes place during the city’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival.

The award and accompanying dinner is named in honor of Marshfield’s native son and namesake of the Hubble Space Telescope, Edwin Powell Hubble (1889-1953). During his long career as a leading astronomer of the twentieth century, Hubble discovered that innumerable galaxies exist beyond the Milky Way and proved that the universe is expanding uniformly (Hubble Constant). The Hubble telescope, launched in 1990, further illustrated that the expansion of the universe is accelerating.

The first Edwin P. Hubble Medal of Initiative was awarded to Lady Bird Johnson in 2004. The most recent recipients (2011) included Dr. Martin Luther King (for demonstrating initiative during the Civil Rights Movement), Lynne Jackson (founder and president of the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation), and Dr. Christopher Sullivan (for his work in preserving American history). Mr. Haarsma, Ms. Gary, and Mr. Fillion are deeply honored to be listed among such distinguished company and to have their work recognized with this award.

Past Recipients of the Edwin P. Hubble Medal of Initiative

Cherry Blossom Festival Information

Edwin P. Hubble Biography

Kids Need to Read has several exciting happenings going on this week! This Friday, several of us will be hosting a presentation at the Texas Library Association 2012 Conference in Houston, Texas. During our panel, we will be premiering a new video created by Nathan Fillion and PJ Haarsma in support of KNTR! Then I will be flying back to attend a reception and on-field grant recipient recognition at Saturday’s Arizona Diamondbacks game in Phoenix, Arizona! Call me silly, but I am ridiculously excited to be called out on Chase Field on behalf of Kids Need to Read!

We hope to meet some of you at these events! Here are more details for you:

Friday, April 20, 2012
Texas Library Association 2012 Conference
10:00 AM-11:50 AM
Houston Convention Center
1001 Avenida
Houston, Texas

The Texas Library Association has graciously provided a two hour panel to Kids Need to Read to discuss our mission, as well as opportunities for underfunded schools, libraries, and literacy programs. Panelists scheduled to appear are Dr. James Blasingame, Denise Gary, PJ Haarsma, and Dr. Teri Lesesne. In addition to the Nathan Fillion video “world premiere,” we will have a Reading Revolution slide show presentation. Dr. Teri Lesesne will discuss the importance of providing books to ALL readers. Dr. Lesesne will also talk about how to use books to motivate readers and what types of books might work best with reluctant readers. Dr. James Blasingame will discuss the curricula used in the Reading Revolution program and explain how teachers can incorporate similar methods, despite imposed restrictions. PJ Haarsma will discuss how he uses technology to inspire kids to read. I will be discussing a little bit of everything about our programs! We will have 2012 and 2013 calendars available for cash donations. This will be the first time the Kids Need to Read 2013 calendar will be made available. (Dr. Blasingame and PJ Haarsma will each conduct additional presentations earlier in the morning.)

Webcast Preview of Kids Need to Read Presentation

Other TLA Conference Previews

Saturday, April 21, 2012
Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation Grant Recipient Recognition
3:10 PM
Chase Field
401 E. Jefferson Street
Phoenix, Arizona

Kids Need to Read and other grant recipients will be treated to a special reception and on-field recognition when the Arizona Diamondbacks host the Atlanta Braves.

Thank you to all of our supporters who have made it possible for Kids Need to Read to be part of such wonderful opportunities!

Kids Need to Read Geek Prom
Sponsored by Bookmans
Hosted at Phoenix Comicon

Hyatt Regency Ballroom
Phoenix, Arizona
Saturday, May 26, 2012
8:00 PM-Midnight (or, you know . . . to whenever)

Purchase your Geek Prom pass here: https://phoenixcomicon.com/shop
$15 online now or $20 onsite during the convention

Do not contemplate being a wallflower too long – the event has sold out two years in a row!

Kids Need to Read Geek Prom, sponsored by Bookmans Entertainment Exchange and hosted at Phoenix Comicon benefits Kids Need to Read, a foundation that does not discriminate against Geeks, Dweebs, or Nerds.

This is the Big Bang Party! Expect fun, prizes, a live Geek auction, and special guests. SPACE GEEK is the theme for Geek Prom 2012. Dress in your Geeky best and enter the Fashion Geektacular to vie for the titles of Geek King, Geek Queen, Space-Geek King, and Space-Geek Queen! Any appropriate Geek attire may be modeled during the Fashion Geektacular, but kings and queens will be selected from those best demonstrating the themes of GEEK (as in dweeb, nerd, etc.) or SPACE (as in alien, astronaut, space movie character, etc.).

Have your stylin’ photo taken at no extra charge under the Geek Arch (restyled for aliens) or the new, mystery photo setup that pays homage to one of this year’s famous Phoenix Comicon guests. Cash bar. Rated PG-13.

Live Twitter Feed on the Geek-o-Tron: #KNTRGeekProm

More information, photographs, and video of the Kids Need to Read Geek Prom, sponsored by Bookmans

Presenting Sponsor

Bookmans Entertainment Exchange

Hosting Sponsor

Phoenix Comicon

Prize Sponsors

ThinkGeek
Arizona Avengers
Atomic Comics
Barnes & Noble – Mesa
Big Fish Games
Hero Comics
Mojo-Bone Software Studios
Pop Culture Paradise
SnorgTees
Waldenbooks

Super Galactic Decorators

Themers, LLC

Host

Denise Gary – Kids Need to Read

DJ

Michael Dougherty – Big Damn Fan Films

Fashion Geektacular Commentators

Michael Flores – Director (Western X)
Miss Victoria Paege – Actress

Fashion Geektacular Judges

Wynter Holden – Phoenix New Times
James A. Owen – Author, Illustrator
Jonathan Simon – Lightning Octopus
Emily Whitmore – Nerdvana

 Singer: Geeks of America

Steven Riley

Auctioneer

Louis Lombardi – Actor (24, The Sopranos)

Special Entertainment

Arizona Avengers: Time Warp
James A. Owen: Pure Imagination
Justice League Arizona: YMCA
Surprise Star Appearances

Kids Need to Read has received a $1,000 grant from American Woodmark Foundation to be used toward Reading Revolution, our pilot program aimed at increasing literacy rates and decreasing dropout rates among disadvantaged middle school students. Kids Need to Read and Arizona State University have been working together with educators at ASU Preparatory Academy to develop the innovative program, which launched in September 2011. The American Woodmark Foundation, formed in 1995, places a priority on literacy programs. The foundation is the charitable giving division of cabinet manufacturing company American Woodmark Corporation.

The funds provided by American Woodmark Foundation will be used to purchase books and fund programming necessary to conduct the second year of Reading Revolution at ASU Preparatory Academy, an inner-city charter school serving impoverished children in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. Galileo tests conducted after the first semester of the program indicated a significant increase in reading scores among the students in the program, as compared to the rest of the student body. Reading self-motivation has also increased according to the school’s educators. Second year efforts will continue to build on this success by presenting new curricula to eighth grade students while introducing seventh grade students to the first year programming. Future plans call for the expansion of this pilot program throughout the United States in middle schools seeking to inspire their students with cutting-edge approaches to literacy improvement and reduced dropout rates.

Kids Need to Read and Arizona State University sincerely thank American Woodmark Foundation for their assistance in funding Reading Revolution for the children of ASU Preparatory Academy and the many others who will be impacted by this program in the future.

Reading Revolution Program Partners

Arizona State University
ASU Preparatory Academy
American Woodmark Foundation
Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation
Avnet Contributions Council
Carus Publishing
National Home Library Foundation
Skype Limited

Reading Revolution Program Information

I learned my first life lesson of emotional suffering in others when I was in fifth grade. A paradigm of compassion and respect that would last throughout my lifetime came together in one fateful moment of despair expressed directly to me by a sad, neglected girl cruelly referred to as “Stinkpot” by the entire class. I had played a role in Stinkpot’s sadness, but from that I learned a new ideal—redemption. Wisdom learned at the expense of pain is the way of human development. But sometimes life lessons can positively affect more than the one; they can affect the many. In that way, redemption is multiplied.

I shared the story of Stinkpot and several other serendipitous life moments with the five middle school classes of ASU Preparatory Academy in Phoenix, Arizona. The presentation was part of the Kids Need to Read “Reading Revolution” program, produced in partnership with Arizona State University. The presentation explored such topics as the life-changing power of reading, developing life missions, embracing positive life paradigms, and cultivating a healthy respect for all people.

It also served as an introduction to The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, by Sean Covey. All students received copies of the book to keep, made possible by Avnet Contributions Council.

The presentation was a personal moment of life affirmation. The students at ASU Preparatory Academy defy the stereotypical urban school profile, due to the obvious efforts of the school to provide both a disciplinary, yet nurturing setting. They were polite, respectful, and attentive at all times.

Many of the students approached me privately to express their appreciation and to let me know they were inspired to read the book, despite not being “the type of person who would normally read a book like this.”

Interestingly, males seemed the most affected and appeared to instinctively comprehend the message I was trying to impart—that a book like this was endowed with the power to change the entire course of their existence. Several told me they wanted to live their lives as I described. They were engaged and looking toward the future. This concept is at the very heart of Reading Revolution—inspiring kids to live a truly great life.

The presentation concluded with a life mission exercise, followed by lit circles led by mega-incredible English teacher Andrea Enger.

These activities allowed students an opportunity to apply what they had learned and to open up to each other without fear of ridicule. A reporter from each lit circle summarized the consensus of their group during “ah-ha moments.”

At the end of class, the students shared what they had learned. I marveled at the beautiful things they said about taking in my words, feeling free to open up and connect with each other, and feeling a burden released.

Some students may have giggled at the beginning of the story of Stinkpot, but by the end of the story, they had discerned the very same things I discovered so long ago in fifth grade. When the presentation was over, they also realized they have the power to shape their own futures and could use books as an inexhaustible support system to get them wherever they want to be. May they always remember!

Photo Gallery: Reading Revolution: Inspiring Positive Life Paradigms

Reading Revolution Program Information

Reading Revolution Program Partners

Arizona State University
ASU Preparatory Academy
American Woodmark Foundation
Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation
Avnet Contributions Council
Carus Publishing
National Home Library Foundation
Skype Limited